1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved potentiometer, and more particularly to an improved potentiometer used as a position sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one known potentiometer (German Patent Disclosure DE 196 24 780 A1), which is used as a position sensor for detecting the angular position of a throttle valve in the intake tube of an internal combustion engine, the wiper has a substrate, and two resilient wiper chips secured to it, which on their ends each carry a contact brush, and these brushes in turn make the electrical contact with a wiper path of resistor material. Of the two concentrically disposed wiper paths, one is connected at its ends to two connection terminals for applying a potentiometer voltage, and the other wiper path is connected by one end to a measuring terminal, at which a potentiometer voltage picked up by the wipers can be picked up as a measure of the relative position of the wiper and the wiper path. Since the wiper path is fixed in a housing of a throttle valve neck, and the wiper is connected to the adjusting shaft for the throttle valve in a manner fixed against relative rotation, the voltage picked up at the measuring terminal is a measure for the rotary position of the throttle valve.